In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

Mix in the chopped red onion and serrano chile. Refrigerate an additional half hour. Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.

Most people will associate avocadoes with savory dishes such as guacamoles or mixed into various salsas. However growing up, I always have thought of avocadoes as a fruit used for sweet shakes and desserts. Maybe this comes from Filipino background and how my parents have used it.

I have fond memories of my mom picking up some avocadoes during the summer months, scooping out the creamy green flesh into a bowl and adding evaporated milk with a tablespoon of sugar. This was such a treat for me! The creamy sweet avocado was so rich and simply prepared this way. As I got older, I was exposed to guacamole and I was hesitant about it at first. I never thought of using avocadoes as a savory ingredient!

So this post is in honor of my sweet memories of avocado. I’ve updated my mom’s preparation of avocadoes by making an avocado shake. It’s not all that unusual as I’ve seen avocado shakes on a few menus, especially at boba tea shops. Here’s my recipe for an Avocado Vanilla Shake:

One of my favorite salads comes from a regional restaurant chain, Wildfire. It’s a restaurant where I’ve celebrated some memorable occassions such as past birthdays of mine, family members and friends, and even our engagement party. In fact the last time I went to Wildfire was 2 years ago, which was when we had our engagement party. But back to the salad… Wildfire has an amazing chopped salad. The citrus lime vinaigrette is what completes this salad for me and I remember several years ago, I even called the local restaurant requesting to speak to the chef in hopes of getting the recipe for the vinaigrette. But no such luck.

Forwarding to present day, I was reminded of the restaurant by a friend and all the memories of this salad came flooding back. I checked out their website to see if any changes have been made to their menu. Little did I know that since the last time I’ve been to Wildfire, they began bottling the citrus lime vinaigrette. I loved so much!

That same day, I made a stop at Wildfire on the way home and picked up 2 bottles of this prized vinaigrette. Tonight, I used it and recreated the Wildfire Chopped Salad… and boy, it definitely hit the spot.

Here’s the recipe for Wildfire’s Signature Chopped Salad(which is also printed on the bottled dressing label)